Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo left, but Wang Anshi stayed.

Zhao Xu stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back for a long time, frowned and said, "Last time, Xianggong Fan recovered Youzhou, I had almost no promotion to him, but just gave him some money. This time he seized Datong Mansion, what should I do?"

Wang Anshi bowed and said, "Last time, I advised Your Majesty that you should change the commander to attack Datong Prefecture, and let Mr. Han or Mr. Lu go to war. Mr. Fan has been leading troops in the past few years, and it is also very hard. He should let him rest well and reunite with his family."

A trace of dissatisfaction flashed in Zhao Xu's eyes and said coldly: "Grandpa Wang, if you have any advice in the future, just say it clearly. Don't say these false words again, which will mislead me. Do you understand?"

Wang Anshi saw sweat on his forehead and hurriedly said, "I know my mistake, but I am actually a little worried."

"Say, what are you worried about?"

Wang Anshi looked at the eunuchs on both sides, and Zhao Xu ordered: "You all retreat!"

Several eunuchs serving retreated, and only Wang Anshi and Zhao Xu were left in the imperial study.

Wang Anshi then whispered: "Your Majesty, Xianggong Fan has been in charge of military power for too long. Although he is a civil servant, he is a prime minister after all. The disparity in status will make the generals look up to him, especially more than half of the commandership are promoted by him. In recent years, he has successively destroyed the Western Xia, recovered Youzhou, seized Yunzhou, and achieved great achievements that the Song Dynasty had not seen in a century. Weichen had previously sent people to investigate the army. In the hearts of the lower-level soldiers, Xianggong Fan was like a god. Weichen was very worried that over time, in the hearts of the generals, his importance will exceed that of Your Majesty."

"So you suggested that I personally conquer Youzhou last year?"

“That’s right!”

Zhao Xu looked out the window with his hands behind his back for a long time. After a long time, Zhao Xu said coldly: "Do you think he will be disobedient?"

"Your Majesty, everyone knows some things. For example, overseas feudalization was facilitated by Xianggong Fan. His own family also purchased land on Beidao. Although they nominally admitted that they were subjects of the Song Dynasty, they were actually completely autonomous. What is the difference between this and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty feudalization? Therefore, I have always opposed this overseas feudalization system, but the power to support overseas feudalization is too strong, and there is no room for me to interrupt."

After a moment of pause, Wang Anshi saw that Zhao Xu didn't say anything, so he simply made it clear.

"Your Majesty, what I mean is that if he does not have the will to be independent, why should he engage in the overseas feudal system?"

Zhao Xu was shocked and his eyes became suspicious. He pondered for a moment: "The court has repeatedly discussed the overseas feudal system. Everyone agreed that although they have autonomy in the island, they are not within the local scope of the Song Dynasty. No matter how they make trouble in the island, as long as they don't leave the island, they will not threaten the Song Dynasty. This is equivalent to enfeoffing a manor for powerful ministers. They also have patrols and are also full of words in the manor. However, as long as they are not called lonely and widowed, as long as they do not collude with enemy countries, the court can tolerate it. Therefore, I also agreed to the overseas feudal system. Does Wang Xianggong think too seriously about the problem?"

Since he had already said this, Wang Anshi took it easy and took it easy. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am not attacking the overseas feudal system now. Although I am not approving of this feudal system, the court has passed it, Your Majesty has approved it, and has been implemented for many years. Before there is a big chaos, I am not planning to overturn this decision.

Weichen just said that Fan Xianggong actively led the overseas feudal system and also gained huge benefits. Weichen meant that from the overseas feudal system, we can see that Fan Xianggong has a self-reliance. To put it seriously, he just has a heart of disobedience. Now he holds military power and has a high prestige in the army. Will his heart of disobedience expand accordingly? He is no longer satisfied with overseas feudal division?"

"He probably won't be!"

"Your Majesty, I dare not say that the Fan Xianggong rebels, but it is absolutely not a wise move to let a disobedient take over military power. Just as Your Majesty was worried, he is now out of no way to be granted, and has reached the point where he is so successful that he has shocked the Lord. For prudent considerations, I do not recommend that he continue to lead the army anymore, which will benefit His Majesty and him."

After a long time, Zhao Xu sighed, "Maybe you are right. It will be a relief for me and him to escape from military power."

After walking a few steps behind his hands, Zhao Xu asked again: "Then how should I tell him?"

"Have you given him a silver box? I believe he can understand His Majesty's hint."

After the Battle of Datong, Fan Ning ordered Yang Wenguang to lead 30,000 troops to guard Datong Prefecture and Yingzhou, and appointed Liu Kui as the prefect of Datong Wartime, and he led more than 100,000 troops back to Youzhou.

Five days later, Fanning returned to the capital.

At night, Fanning took out the silver box from the study. The box had been completely cut and wrapped in a piece of silk. The emperor's secret decree lay quietly in the box.

Fan Ning had actually vaguely guessed the meaning of the Emperor Zhao Xu's secret decree to him. This secret decree was a hint that he could end it.

This suggestion does not come from the content of the secret decree itself. Fan Ning also believed that Zhao Xu was sincerely willing to immigrate to 100,000 households in Beidao as a reward for his contribution to the Song Dynasty.

The key is that the time for this secret decree is wrong. The immigrants of 100,000 households are by no means a small number. After the destruction of Xixia, the emperor has given 20,000 immigrants from Beidao in succession as a reward for the destruction of Xixia and the recovery of Youzhou.

But the reward for 100,000 immigrants should be the ultimate reward, and should be given only after he destroyed the Liao Kingdom. But now I have already raised it early. Does this mean that the emperor does not want him to continue leading troops to fight?

Di Qing had officially retired from the officialdom after regaining Youzhou. When he said goodbye, Di Qing gave himself a kind reminder that he had already shown signs of credit to shock the Lord. If he could not see this, the consequences would be very serious.

Fanning began to slowly recover, so what should he do?

At this time, the door opened, and his wife Zhu Pei walked in with a cup of tea. During the meal, she found that her husband had something to do, which was rare, which made Zhu Pei feel a little worried.

"Husband, what happened?" Zhu Pei asked with the tea on the table.

Fanning shook her head and smiled, "It's nothing, everything is normal!"

"Husband, you don't need to comfort me. I can see if you have anything to do. This time you are very worried."

Fanning sighed softly, grabbed his wife's hand and said, "If I asked you all to go to Beidao, do you think your family would object?"

"I won't object...but why do you say that?" Zhu Pei asked in surprise.

Fan Ning thought for a while and said, "Didn't you see that I've been so popular in the past two years? Everyone in the world regards me as the savior of the Song Dynasty."

"But you have indeed made great achievements for the Song Dynasty. Isn't it normal for everyone to respect you and praise you?"

"But what about the emperor, what would he think?"

Zhu Pei immediately understood, and she said carefully: "What husband means is that some credit shocking the Lord?"

Fanning nodded, "I have already felt that the last time he personally marched to Youzhou, he was a little unwilling to show his feelings!"

"But the emperor should trust you very much. It was your husband who pushed him to the throne. Haven't he adopted all the opinions you made over the years?"

"The emperor trusts me very much, but this kind of trust has a premise, that is, I cannot threaten his throne. Once I have gained military power for too long, accumulated huge prestige in the army, and then made outstanding achievements, he will inevitably be worried."

Speaking of this, Fanning sighed, "After all, his ancestors were the throne he became through Chen Qiaobing. How could he not worry?"

"What will your husband do?"

Fanning pondered for a moment and said, "I want to hand over military power, quit my position, and then lead the whole family to sea for a walk."

Zhu Pei thought about it and asked again, "But... what reason should you use for your husband?"

Fan Ning smiled and said, "I have already thought about the reason, so I said that my grandmother was seriously ill. I want to visit her in Beidao. I have the word "filial piety". He will definitely agree."
Chapter completed!